I posted a diary last night recounting my tour on the front lines at Madison, and someone asked what kind of music was being played. Well, maybe I missed it but I hadn't heard a whole lot of songs, although there's been a lot of instrumental music. This got me to think about the old protest songs and labor ballads I so dearly love, which in turn made me think about what labor ballads might be written about what's going on in the Wisconsin Capital.
I'm not a musician and don't know much about song writing, but I can at least take the work those more talented than I have already done and add to their accomplishment, even if what I produce is probably not as good as what they'd make if they were still here with us.
So here's an updated version of a classic labor ballad you may already know, with lyrics changed for the Wisconsin Uprising. Original lyrics by Woody Guthrie, modified by the author for the current times, including an almost entirely new final verse.
There once was a Union Maid
She never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and Scott Walker’s finks
And Fitzgerald’s geeks who made the raid
She went to the Capital hall
When a rally it was called
And when the Teabagger boys came round
She always stood her ground
Chorus
Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the Union
I’m sticking to the union,I’m sticking to the Union
Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union
I’m sticking to the union till the day I die
This Union Maid was wise
To the tricks of the Governor’s spies
She couldn’t be fooled by a Walker stool
She’d always organize the guys
Sheêd sleep on the Capital floor at night
While fighting for our rights
And when Walker tried hard
And threatened her with the Guard
This is what she’d say
Chorus
Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the Union
I’m sticking to the union,I’m sticking to the Union
Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the Union
I’m sticking to the union till the day I die
All you who want to be free
Just take a tip from me
Go out to the Wisconsin Capital
And make some history
In the fight for Workers Rights
All People must Unite
Make Fight’n Bob proud, get a really big crowd
To the front of every fight
Chorus
Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the Union
I’m sticking to the union,I’m sticking to the Union
Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the Union
I’m sticking to the union till the day I die
Hope you all are inspired. If anyone wants to rewrite an old protest song to fit the current times, post it in the comments and I'll add it to the diary in an update.
Updated by Goldfish at Wed Feb 23, 2011, 11:25:13 PM
From CalbraithRodgers
Baggers (Bastards) of Tea
Come you baggers of tea
You that wave all your flags
You that wave all your guns
You that wave your tea bags
You won't help lend a hand
You won't help those in need
I just want you to know
I can see it's just greed
You that never trust no one
Or at least just a few
If they look in a mirror
And they look just like you
You got hate in your heart
And a head full of lies
And you spend your days guided
By the fear in your eyes
For hundreds of years
You've always refused
To carry that card
And pay union dues
The bosses all laugh
Behind closed office doors
No need for fair wages
When they have you for whores
You go to your churches
and kneel down to pray
The start of the end times
Will happen today
You can't see a future
Without death as your fate
Cuz the world keeps a changin'
And you cannot relate
You refuse to use logic
You refuse to see truth
You can't unlearn the lies
Learned in your youth
The gays are all perverts
They should all be in jail
The poor are just lazy
And that's why they fail
Just once I would like
To change places with you
So you'd hear the fool
Who says the things that you do
I don't stand in your shoes
But I'm sure of one thing
Your toes all start tappin'
When FOX pulls the strings
You're a curse on our nation
And you've been blindly led
No sense of history
That wasn't spoonfed
You think that our founders
Would give you their vote
But they'd hang you for treason
In your corporate red coat
*And I hope that you die
And your death’ll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I’ll stand o’er your grave
’Til I’m sure that you’re dead
*last verse all Dylan